Friday, September 02, 2016

A poisonous Canterbury lake overrun with a toxic, deadly slime has not recovered, and is still subject to a public health warning eight months after it was issued.

With a dry summer ahead, it's not looking good for Lake Forsyth.

The lake near Christchurch has been plagued by cyanobacteria, a toxic alga.

A public health warning has been in place since January, the longest period for such a warning at the lake in recent memory.

Sheep, cattle, and at least one dog have died in the lake's water over the years. Swallowing one teaspoon of cyanobacteria could kill a dog or a child.

While this is being painted as only a temporary thing, with Canterbury drying up due to climate change and greedy farmers sucking out what water remains while spewing shit into the rivers, its only a matter of time before it becomes permanent. Unless the government acts, of course. But given that its their mates making money by exacerbating this problem, that seems unlikely.

Kiwis deserve better than this. We deserve clean water, and lakes and streams we can swim in and drink. And we won't get that under National.